Actually, it is not that specific. I have a mid-2009 17" MBP without FileVault in use at all and it too will not boot into Safe Mode. My issue is that I have removed the DVD drive and added an additional SSD, setting up the two SSD's in RAID-0. This causes Safe Boot not to work. I have four external monitors, all rotated, and only the one using the miniDisplayPort to DVI adapter is working. The other three (using Diamond BVU195 USB devices) cause the blue screen issue. Wish I could find a way to use them, even in portrait mode for now!
Please disregard my home office. It is obviously being renovated...